calorie amount? want to get it right!

Dannie23187 · June 2013

Hi there.
Im pretty new to this and really want to get it right.
I've been looking at other members diaries and comparing them to mine, and i seem to be eating a fair few less calories than some. My current weight is 184lbs (13stone1) and would like to be roughly 167lbs. In the past when ive lost weight ive struggles to get below 12stone8. Which is still classed as "overweight" for my height although i felt pretty good (lost 4stone lol)
My height is 5ft8inch and have quite a broad build.
I always took it that the less calories you eat, the.more you lose and obviously understand if you exercise more you need more fuel to keep you going, but how much is enough?? Im currently working out 3-4x a week for roughly 60-70mins. But am finding in feeling hungry ALOT and don't want to start binging!!
My current calorie goal is 1220 (i didn't pick it, just what came up when i signed up to MFP) and have been usually under that each day. But burning on average 600-800 when working out.
I have found by the end of the day, in quite peckish but either go to bed or drink some water to avoid snacking.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance
Dannielle ????

HappyHungryHealthy · June 2013

Hi. Did you put in a 2 pound weekly weightloss, when you set up mfp? I can imagine that's why you were given such a low amount. I am the same height as you and eat at my BMR, which is 1650. Do you eat back your exercise calories? Some people tend to eat back atleast half of them, I eat them back only to net 1200-1300. Try using a few online calculators to work out how many calories you should be taking in a day!

Hope this was of some help to you.

Dannie23187 · June 2013

Hi. Did you put in a 2 pound weekly weightloss, when you set up mfp? I can imagine that's why you were given such a low amount. I am the same height as you and eat at my BMR, which is 1650. Do you eat back your exercise calories? Some people tend to eat back atleast half of them, I eat them back only to net 1200-1300. Try using a few online calculators to work out how many calories you should be taking in a day! Hope this was of some help to you.

hi, i did put the 2lb weight loss per week. And i haven't been eating them back but think i need to eat at least some. First weigh in this week was 4lb loss which i expected to be high as always is first week, but i dont want it to be too rapid as itll cone back on just as quick.
will have a look online now, thanks ????

Boogage · June 2013

Hi, You'll screw up your metabolism if you eat too low not to mention if you keep exercising and eating so little you'll get sick. After a months heavy exercising I felt soooo poorly and unable to exercise properly just eating 1200 a day and had to increase. Also if you start that low then what happens when your weight loss stalls? You can't possibly cut a couple of hundred calories from what you're currently eating!

You could work out your TDEE using an online calculator and then minus 20%. Its not exact but it works for a lot of people. If you don't lose weight after a few weeks you should have room to cut a few more calories until you find an amount that works for you and enables you to enjoy food.

Dannie23187 · June 2013

Hi, You'll screw up your metabolism if you eat too low not to mention if you keep exercising and eating so little you'll get sick. After a months heavy exercising I felt soooo poorly and unable to exercise properly just eating 1200 a day and had to increase. Also if you start that low then what happens when your weight loss stalls? You can't possibly cut a couple of hundred calories from what you're currently eating!

You could work out your TDEE using an online calculator and then minus 20%. Its not exact but it works for a lot of people. If you don't lose weight after a few weeks you should have room to cut a few more calories until you find an amount that works for you and enables you to enjoy food.

Thanks ???? just having a look online now. I did think it was too low, but didn't think you could edit the amount-novice haha
And that was what in was concerned with, once i hit a brick wall how could i possibly cut back on the amount i was having as it felt like even if i ate pretty well, i wasn't left with much room for error ???? hopefully ill find a happy medium. Would rather make the mistakes now and learn from them so i don't just give up.

Mitzigan94 · June 2013

http://www.nowloss.com/how-to-lose-weight-without-exercise-counting-calories.htm

this site will help you clearly on your journey on mfp.. try it..

It helped me a lot..:))

Vailara · June 2013

I personally find that a 2lb a week loss is too drastic and it's difficult to stick to. I do a version of TDEE - 20% (mentioned above).

MFP works out what you burn in a day (before exercise) and subtracts 500 calories per pound according to how quickly you want to lose. If it has given you 1260 to lose 2lb a week, then it's assuming that you burn 2260 before exercise. If you eat anything less than that (or if you exercise) you should lose weight! If you don't want to work out TDEE and set your own goals, you could still use MFP settings for much the same effect. A 1lb loss would give you 1760 calories. You would then eat back your exercise calories. 1/2 pound a week would give you 250 more (2010 calories).

Don't worry if you don't lose as expected from week to week. I find my weight fluctuates regularly by a couple of pounds, but I can see a downward trend. Good luck!

Dannie23187 · June 2013

Thanks alot for all your help! Read up on a but more and have a better understanding lol
again, in such a novice! Upping it to 1695 a day and see how I go from there. One site gave me different daily amounts so I've taken an average from there.
thanks again ????

JessHealthKick · June 2013

glad to hear you'll up. Remember, your body has a basic amount it needs every day to to normal functions like breathe, pump your heart, absorb nutrients. If you eat less than that, it is really quite damaging in the long run!! Check out www.iifym.com if you haven't already. I personally would have NET1200 (more like 1500+) a day when I'm trying to lose more fat, and then up more to NET1600 when I'm trying to gain a bit of muscle + lose a bit of fat. I am in a cutting fat phase so yeah, lower count for me. It is quite low however only short term

Phrick · June 2013

Thanks alot for all your help! Read up on a but more and have a better understanding lol
again, in such a novice! Upping it to 1695 a day and see how I go from there. One site gave me different daily amounts so I've taken an average from there.
thanks again ????

Hi Danielle,

How long have you been actively using MFP this time around, trying to eat at the 1200 range? I ask because if you've been doing it for very long at all, be prepared to see a weight increase in the beginning after upping your calories to the 1695 goal. Your body will use some of the extra calories to replenish your glycogen stores and water and as a result your scale weight will increase some, but it's generally temporary. Just don't want you to be shocked and dismayed if/when you see it happen

Dannie23187 · June 2013

Thanks alot for all your help! Read up on a but more and have a better understanding lol
again, in such a novice! Upping it to 1695 a day and see how I go from there. One site gave me different daily amounts so I've taken an average from there.
thanks again ????

Hi Danielle,

How long have you been actively using MFP this time around, trying to eat at the 1200 range? I ask because if you've been doing it for very long at all, be prepared to see a weight increase in the beginning after upping your calories to the 1695 goal. Your body will use some of the extra calories to replenish your glycogen stores and water and as a result your scale weight will increase some, but it's generally temporary. Just don't want you to be shocked and dismayed if/when you see it happen

Saorry for late response, only about 10days or so. Started dieting in december last year til around march-burned myself out HAMMERING the gym diet etc. So now hoping to do it properly but struggling finding a happy medium tbh. Was unsure how much was too much etc. Think the 1200 was too low, although inwas getting in my 3meals, there wasn't an awful lot of room left over and wasn't using my calories i had burned from workouts. Do you think i should go in-between? Say 1400?
i really haven't a clue. Want to lose the weight as well as tone and get fit. So know the more i work out, the more ill need but don't want to gain weight ????

Dannie23187 · June 2013

glad to hear you'll up. Remember, your body has a basic amount it needs every day to to normal functions like breathe, pump your heart, absorb nutrients. If you eat less than that, it is really quite damaging in the long run!! Check out www.iifym.com if you haven't already. I personally would have NET1200 (more like 1500+) a day when I'm trying to lose more fat, and then up more to NET1600 when I'm trying to gain a bit of muscle + lose a bit of fat. I am in a cutting fat phase so yeah, lower count for me. It is quite low however only short term

So 1695 isn't too much? Just don't want to gain anymore weight than in carrying now lol

Phrick · June 2013

The best chance for minimizing any weight gain is to go up gradually. 100 or so calories per day for a 3-5 days then add another 100 and let your body adjust for another 3-ish days, repeat till you get to your goal. Yes it will take you longer to get up there but your weight gain for it should be less.

JessHealthKick · June 2013

glad to hear you'll up. Remember, your body has a basic amount it needs every day to to normal functions like breathe, pump your heart, absorb nutrients. If you eat less than that, it is really quite damaging in the long run!! Check out www.iifym.com if you haven't already. I personally would have NET1200 (more like 1500+) a day when I'm trying to lose more fat, and then up more to NET1600 when I'm trying to gain a bit of muscle + lose a bit of fat. I am in a cutting fat phase so yeah, lower count for me. It is quite low however only short term

So 1695 isn't too much? Just don't want to gain anymore weight than in carrying now lol

well think of how much food you were eating before... I am guessing this is less? 1695 is less than the RDI for women in the first place!

I think the best bet is to follow the above poster, increase slowly then stay at that level for about 3-4 weeks. No loss? well, decrease by 100-200 a day. Gaining? Then you are probably not counting correctly. You need to be meticulous, best to get a scale if you can, or at least a measuring cup!

Good luck

Frelling_Tralk · June 2013

Im currently working out 3-4x a week for roughly 60-70mins. But am finding in feeling hungry ALOT and don't want to start binging!!
My current calorie goal is 1220 (i didn't pick it, just what came up when i signed up to MFP) and have been usually under that each day. But burning on average 600-800 when working out.

Did you add in how much exercise you were doing before you signed up and got 1220? I think that amount of calories is just if you live a fairly unactive lifestyle. For how much exercise you're doing it sounds like you definitely need to start eating more, especially if you're feeling really hungry as well and are worrying about binging

Vailara · June 2013

^^^ MFP doesn't include exercise activity. It just asks you to enter an activity level according to your job, then you add the exercise to your goal day by day (if using their system). As MFP won't set a goal below 1200, then most women will have 1200 as a goal if they set it to 2lb a week (average young women's TDEE is 2100 and MFP subtracts 1000, so any goal above 1200 means that the user has a higher than average TDEE, before exercise).

OP, if you've only been dieting at 1220 for 10 days, then it might be fine to go straight to the new calorie level. If that MFP calculation is correct (TDEE before exercise of 2220) and you're exercising as well, then 1695 in total still sounds a little low if you're aiming for TDEE - 20%, but maybe you have a more accurate TDEE figure or you're happy with a bigger deficit? I find this post very useful http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet . If you want a quick way to work out the different BMR calculations you could try http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/ - I find this one the easiest, because it does the 20% deduction for you too. There's also some interesting information on which BMR calculation to use (I use Katch-McArdle, but you need to have a good idea of your body fat %). Alternatively, you can just choose a lower MFP setting (1/2 to 1lb a week) and eat exercise calories back. I've tried both ways, and I slightly prefer TDEE - 20%, but the calories are not much different.

calorie amount? want to get it right!

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